Friday Links: REM’s Michael Stipe Keeps Irony Alive From SPRING/BREAK

Christian Viveros-Faune sees all kinds of political work at NADA this year. Just going to point out that it’s possible to see a trend of virtually anything in a fair displaying thousands of works of art. My own observations of the fair did not lead me to the same conclusions. There was more political work than usual, but that’s not saying much for a fair whose exhibitors rarely, if ever, showcase political art. [artnet News]

I haven’t been to the Art on Paper fair yet, but this Hyperallergic report on the massive hanging paper towers ensures I’ll go. [Hyperallergic]]

Not sure how I feel about the firms who are courting the contract for the design of Donald Trump’s wall between Mexico and the United States. “If it’s going to happen, we would like a piece of it,” says Jimmy Benavente, a project coordinator at Halbert. “We try not to bring our political beliefs into it.” In other words, money first, everyone else second. Luckily there are some humane design concepts that are cited in this piece, but it saddens me that there are people working on solving problems that never needed to exist. (Also, what are the chances the Trump administration is going to pick the humane design?) [Culture: High & Low]

Tattooing in art contexts seems to be on the rise (based on two examples I can think of but I’m certain there are others). I saw a booth at SATELLITE in Miami that included a tattoo artist offering tattoos and there was just a live tattoo session at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Not sure if there’s anything to say about this, though, past observing that it’s happening. [MLive]

A fantastic review critical of the 2nd Avenue Subway Line design. “This is not the subway as a work of art, but a subway saved from dullness by works of art.” Critic Alexandra Lange does give a pass to those terribly cheesy Vic Munic murals picturing kids with balloons, though, but we’ll forgive her this one transgression, since the larger criticism was art work placement—exhibition design crit makes an appearance! [Curbed]